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Tia's grandmother, Christine, 46, was arrested in connection with Tia's death and is on bail.

Christine's partner, Stuart Hazell, 37, is due to appear at the Old Bailey on November 19 accused of the child's murder.

Heartbroken: David Niles, left, and Natalie Sharp, right, as they arrived to lay flowers close to Tia's grandmother's house. Natalie said, 'it has been pure hell', since her daughter went missing and was discovered dead

Devastated: Tia's mother and her partner, pictured, said they don't know how to tell Tia's brothers that their sister is dead

Tia's mother Natalie and her partner David, left, as they went to lay flowers and David, right, wearing the 'Missing' T-shirt with his mobile phone number on which pranksters called to claim they had Tia

In the days leading up to the discovery of Tia's body, the ordeal suffered by Natalie and David was worsened when callers began taunting the couple.

David was out searching for Tia's body, after she had been missing for around three days, when he got the first call on his mobile by a couple of boys who had seen his number on the T-shirts he wore for the TV appeals.

He said: 'They were saying, "We've got her and we'll tell you where and when you can have her".'

Christine Sharp, left, who joined the hunt to find her granddaughter and her partner, Stuart Hazell, right, who is accused of Tia's murder

Police traced the call back to Scotland where they discovered it was a couple of drunk boys making prank calls. Natalie added: 'It wasn't the only time. We had lots of false messages'.

They also told The Sun how they don't know how they are going to be able to tell Tia's younger brothers she is dead.

Search: Tia's grandmother's house in New Addington, where police found the 12-year-old girl's body

Solemn: Tia Sharp's coffin arrives at Morden Cemetery last week for the funeral service of the schoolgirl

Natalie said: 'One of them has already started to notice. He's called out to a few girls in the street, thinking it's Tia.'

Last week the couple said goodbye to Tia at a private funeral service in South London.

Tia's coffin was covered in red and pink hearts and a pink feather bower. A sign saying 'little angel' rested on top.